It seems like the love of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Pocono Springs home and not find Comic Books, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Pocono Springs baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Precious Moments, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Items online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out attractive listing descriptions, figuring out postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, handling returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Mother may have paid $90 for an item but the online going rate is only $2.79. You need to ask yourself the question “is my time worth just a few dollars”? Online selling can take a lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Pocono Springs Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s treasured collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Pocono Springs children’s place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandmother really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Items.
My answer is yes! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Pocono Springs collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collection becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donated items along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear Items I think it makes people feel better which I am happy for. Letting go of “things” can be hard for a collector and owners and even sometimes for family members. As much as we don’t want to be labeled as “materialistic” – things we buy and collect can have sentimental attachments and it’s those feelings that we are attached to probably more than the items. People remember where they were when they purchased an item, who they were with or even where in their life cycle they were. They don’t want those memories to vanish with the collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Pocono Springs to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633